Process of forming tapering-cross-section disks.



A. L. PUTNANL FROCESS OF FQRMING TAPERING CROSS SECTION DISKS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1917.

1,245,270. Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET-l.

Sme/whom %fi 7 649960277/ A. L. PUTNAM.

PROCESS OF FORMING TAPERING CROSS SECTION DISKS. APPLICATION FILED FEB.28.I917.'

1345270. Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

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tmiren STATES OFFICE.

ALDEN I. PUTNAM, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DETROIT PBESSED ST'EEL COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A COBPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

PBOCESS OF FQBMING TAPEBING-CEOSS-SECTION DSKS.

Specificatio of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. e, teta Application filed rebruar 28, 1917. Serial No. MLWQES U To aZZ 'whom z't may camera:

Be it known that I, ALDEN L. PUTNAM, a citizen of the United States of America, residing 'at Detroit, in the County of Wayne and State of Michigan, have `invented certan new and useful Improvements in Processes of Forming Tapering- Cross-Section Disks', of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to the manufacture of sheet metal disks of taperin cross section and more particularly to dis s designed for use in the Construction of vehicle wheels.

lt is the object of the invention first to avoid waste of stock; second to facilitate the formation of a tapering cross section or varying gage from a blank of uniform gege.

With these objects in View the invention compris'es the novel method as hereinafter set forth. e 4

In the drawings: v

Figur'es 1 and 2 are respectively aplan view and side elevation of the blank;

Fig. 3 is an elevatibn showing' the first step of forming the blank into an annulus;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section thereof;

Fig. 5 illustrates the second step of cupping the clindrical blank;

Fig. 6 s ows .the intial operation of expandng the cylinder into' disk form;

Fig. 7 is a similar view at the comp'letion of the operation; 4

Fig. 8 is a cross section through the completed disk;

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing a modification. i

The specific embodiment of my invention illustrated is a method of formng disks for .vehicle wheel bodies, the characteristic feature of which is a tapering gage or cross section from the center to the periphery. Disks of this character may be formed from circular fiat blanks of sheet metal which are rolled or otherwise expanded in diameter and thimed in cross section. such a method is how ever open'to objection that there is a large waste of sheet metal in the cutting of circular blanks. Furthermore, the o eration of expanding the blanks diametrica y is anexceedingly diificult 'one to perform.

With'` my improved method the disk is formed from a rectangular blank which may be cut from the stock without waste. Fu'thermore instead of expandig the blank diametrically or in the plane thereof, it is first formed into a cylindrical annulus and the-letter is then expanded with the result that the gage or cross section is tapered at the same time that the form is changed.

In detail A is a rectangular sheet metal 'blank preferably-of a gage or thickness equal to the desired thickness of the central portion of the disk. This blank-is first bent into an annulus B, Fig.-3, and the opposite' ends thereof are spot-welded at C. The cylinder thus formed is then expanded at one end, preferably by rolling between tapering rolls, such as D and E, which will change the form from that shown in Fig 6 to that shown in Fig. 7. If desired the operation may be contnued until all portions of the blank are substantially in the same plane but for the Construction of vehicle wheels this is not desirable, a dished disk being of greater strength. Thus Fig. 8 illustrates such a Construction of dished disk while 9 shows a disk having all portions in the same plane.

Where the central aperture in the disk is relatively small it may be necessary to contraet the diameter of one end of the cylindrical blank before expanding the other end thereof. This step is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, Fig. 4 illustratng the cylindrical blank' just formed and Fig. 5 a blank with a' cupped or ccntracted end which is formed from the construction of Fig. i by the operation of suitable dies.

By use of my improved method the cost of manufacture is greatly reduced hoth in the saving of stockand the lessening of the difliculty'in expanding the blank. It will be understood that the Operations are preferably performed upon a hot blank so as to relieve the metal from over straining.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The method of forming disks of tapering cross section, comprising the bending of a sheet metal blank into annular form, welding the opposite ends of said blank to form an integral annulus %and expanding one end of the annulus to change the same into disk form.

` 2. The method of forming disks of teperingcross section, comprising the cutting of a substantially rectangular blank from sheet metal, bend'ng said blank into an annulus, welding the ends of the blank to each other and' expandng one end of the annulus to form and progressvely thin the cross section thereo.

3. The method of fonning taperng disks, comprsng the cuttng of a substantiall reotangular blank from sheet metal of unlform gege, bendng said blank to form an annulus, Welding the ends of the blank to each other, contracting or cuppng one end of the annulus to reduce. the diameter of the aperture theren and expandng the opposite end of the annulus to smul'taneously change the same into disk form and taperng the cross section thereof.

4. The method of forming clshed disks of taperng cross section, comprsng the cuttng of a substantally rectangular blank from sheet metal of unform gege, bendng the blank to :form an annulus, Weldng the mete-?e the diameter of the aperture theren, and ex pandjng the opposte end of the annulus to increase the diameter and I'educe the cross section thereof until a dshed dskofthe de-` srecl form is obtened.

5. The method of formng disks of tepering cross section, comprsng the cuttng of a substantially rectangular blank from' 'sheet metal of unform gage bendng said blank to form an annulus, Weldng the abuttng ends' of the blank to each other and rollng the annulus to expand the diameter of one end thereof simultaneously to progressively reduce the cross section thereof.

In testmony whereof I afix my signature.

ALDEN L. PUTNAM. 

